Srinagar, May 26: APHC (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Saturday visited the SMHS hospital to inquire about the health of dozens of youth who were injured in forces’ action at Jamia Masjid on Friday.

According to a statement issued here, Mirwaiz on the occasion prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. He also visited Jamia Masjid Srinagar and participated in the silent sit-in staged by the Shahr-e-Khaas traders fraternity and expressed solidarity with them.

Speaking on the occasion, Mirwaiz strongly condemned the indiscriminate use of pellets and teargas shelling at Jamia Masjid on Friday terming it as an “open aggression against people and worst form of state terrorism”. He said that forces without caring for the sanctity of the grand masjid fired dozens of teargas shells at its minarets and walls besides leaving dozens of worshippers and the shopkeepers grievously injured mostly pellets hitting worshipers in the eyes.

He said blood was splattered on the floor of the mosque as people were being fired upon and targeted, which is shocking.

Mirwaiz said that government has made its mind to damage the sacredness and the sanctity of the grand masjid by resorting to military might so that people don’t come to Jamia Masjid on Fridays. He said this reflects frustration on part of the ruling dispensation as presence of lakhs of people at Jamia Masjid on Friday’s unnerves them.

Mirwaiz warned the government that if it doesn’t stop its military approach against innocent people especially those who come to grand masjid for offering prayers, people would hit streets in protest and entire blame will lie on the rulers.

“The genuine and sacred struggle of Kashmir can’t be muzzled by military might and firing of pellets and instead would further strengthen the resolve to dismantle the yoke of oppression in Kashmir,” Mirwaiz said. (GNS)